Tennis racket



y 4! !939- J. L. CONSIGLIO 2,164,903

TENNIS RAcKET Filed June' '19, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. L. CQNSIGLIOTENNIS RACKET 7 July 4, 1939.

Filed June 19. 1936 2.Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 4,. 1939 PATENTOFFICE TENNIS RACKET Jos Luis Consiglio, New York, N. Y.

Application June 19,

6 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and improved tennis racket, and to a newand improved method of making the same.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a racket of simple andsturdy construction,

and which can be manufactured at low cost.

Another object of my invention is to provide a racket having a frame,which is provided with suitable reinforcing members.

Another object of my invention is to provide a racket having improvedmeans for connecting the frame and. said reinforcing members.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the followingdescription and drawings, which illustrate preferred embodimentsthereof, it being understood that the above statements of the objects ofmy invention is intended generally to explain the same without limitingit in any manner.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a blank which is usedfor making oneembodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the blank, after the first operation informing the racket has been completed.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing the completed racket.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a top plan view showing a modification.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Referring to Fig. 1, this shows a blank which is made of wood, or othersuitable material which can be shaped according to any well knownmethod.

Said blank has a handle portion I, and an integral fork portion, saidfork portion having a rounded base and also having legs 2 and 2a.

The base of said fork portion is thicker than the legs 2 and 2a of saidfork portion. The rounded base of said fork portion is provided withshoulders 5 and 5a which may be equal to each other. The fork portion isalso provided with a notch or shoulder 3.

The drawings are generally to scale, and they can be referred to, foradditional details.

The inner wall A of the base of the fork, is preferably a true circulararc, so as to have the desired arch-shape, which combines maximumstrength with minimum lightness.

1936, Serial No. 86,153

A three-way nut member N is provided in a suitable recess 6, which isformed in one face of the blank. Said recess 6 may extend from the uppersurface of the blank, partially into said blank, so that the nut memberN can be placed in position as indicated in Fig. 4 for example, and therecess can then be closed by means of a suitable plug or the like. Saidnut member N is provided with three internally threaded sockets whichmay make equal angles with each other.

The outer side wall of the blank is also formed with grooves or recessesG, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4.

The first operation in forming the racket, is indicated generally inFig. 3. The legs 2 and 2a are steamed or otherwise treated, until theycan be readily bent. The leg 2 is first bent into the shape shown inFig. 3. The leg 20!. is then bent around the leg 2, until the end of theleg 2a enters the notch 3 which has been formed in the member 2. Theadjacent surfaces of the legs 2 and 2a can be connected by means of anysuitable adhesive. This gives the necessary shape to the frame of theracket, while securing great strength and great lightness. The inner andouter surfaces of the head of the frame are substantially smooth andcontinuous.

Referring to Fig. 4, a reinforcing member 8, which is partiallygenerally indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, is then bent around thehead of the frame, until the ends of said member 8 abut the shoulders 5and 5a. The reinforcing member 8 may be connected to the frame, ifdesired, by means of any suitable adhesive. It will be noted that thehead of the frame is formed by bending the blank, in a direction awayfrom the handle-portion I of the blank.

Ai reinforcing member 9, having the shape shown in Fig. 4 is now appliedto the handle I and to the head of the frame. This can be done bybending the reinforcing member 9 first around the head of the frame, andthen at the side-walls of the handle I.

These parts of the device can be made of wood, which can be shapedreadily, when the wood has been steamed or otherwise softened. A weightW is located at the base of the handle I.

Screws I2, 12a and l2b are then caused to enter the three sockets of thenut member N, and the heads of said screws are countersunk in theadjacent members. Said screws l2, In and I217 serve firmly to connectthe reinforcing member 9 to the frame of the racket. Finishing andornamental members I0, which may be made of any suitable material can beconnected to the outer wall of member 9. Additional straps II, which canbe made of wood or fiber, or other suitable material, are used forconnecting the parts 2, 2a, 8, 9, and H] to each other.

As shown in Fig. 5, the member 9 is formed with tongues 9a, which enterthe recesses or grooves G, thus preventing any shifting or dislocationof member 9 relative to the blank.

The usual racket cords, made of the usual material are not shown, sincethey can be mounted in the head of the frame in the well known manner.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 7 can be made of Bakelite or other suitablematerial, which can be molded or otherwise readily shaped. The blankshown in Fig. 7 takes the place of the blank shown in Fig. 3, and theadditional members shown in Fig. 4 are then added to the blank shown inFig. 7, in order to reinforce and complete the same.

I have shown preferred embodiments of my invention, but it is clear thatnumerous changes and omissions can be made without departing from itsspirit.

I claim:

1. A tennis racket comprising a frame having a handle which is integralwith a head portion, said head portion being closed and having its outerend comprising bent and overlapping members, the outer side wall of oneof said members having a notch in which the end of the other of saidmembers is located, a first reinforcing member which abuts a portion ofthe outer side wall of said head, said outer side wall of the headhaving shoulders against which the ends of said first reinforcing memberabut, and a second reinforcing member which abuts the outer side wall ofthe first reinforcing member and which also abuts the side Walls of thehandle.

2. A tennis racket comprising a frame having a handle which is integralwith a head portion, said head portion being closed and having its outerend comprising bent and overlapping members, the outer side Wall of oneof said members having a notch in which the end of the other of saidmembers is located, a first reinforcing member which abuts a portion ofthe outer side wall of said head, said outer side wall of the headhaving shoulders against which the ends of said first reinforcing memberabut, and a second reinforcing member which abuts the outer side wall ofthe first reinforcing member and which also abuts the side walls of thehandle, the inner end of the head of the frame having a three-waynut-member located therein, and screws which pass through said secondreinforcing member and which enter two of the sockets of said nut-member, and a third screw which enters the third socket of said nut-member,said third screw being located in the inner end of the head of saidframe.

3. A tennis racket comprising a frame having a handle which is integralwith a head portion, said head portion being closed and. having itsouter end comprising bent and overlapping members, the outer side wallof one of said members having a notch in which the end of the other ofsaid members is located, a first reinforcing member which abuts aportion of the outer side wall of said head, said outer side wall of thehead having shoulders against which the ends of said first reinforcingmember abut, and a second reinforcing member which abuts the outer sidewall of the first reinforcing member and which also abuts the side wallsof the handle, the outer wall of said frame having recesses and thesecond reinforcing member having tongues which fit in said recesses.

4. A tennis racket frame having a handle portion and having a headportion, said head portion comprising bent and overlapping armsprojecting from said handle portion, the outer side wall of one of saidarms having a notch in which the end of the other of said arms islocked.

5. A tennis racket comprising a frame having a handle portion and a headportion, said head portion comprising bent and overlapping armsprojecting from saidhandle portion, said frame having grooves in theside walls thereof, and a reinforcing member extending around the sidewalls of said head and of said frame, said reinforcing member havingtongues which enter said grooves, said reinforcing member beingconnected to said frame.

6. A tennis racket frame formed from a blank having a U-shaped bodyportion and a handle dependent from the base of said body portion, theprojecting arms of said body portion being overlapped into closedposition.

JOSE LUIS CONSIGLIO.

